Carton



June 26, 1956 E. L. SHEPARD CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1953 INVENTOR. ELSHEPARD. BY

2M1 H IS AT EYS June 26, 1956 E. SHEPARD CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 9, 1953 &. m

P WE T U E Ml M HIS ATTORNEYS I Patented June 26, 1956 Fibre Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application September 9, 1953, Serial No. 379,226

3 Claims. (Cl; 229'2a5) The present invention relates to cartons, particularly those that are made of molded pulp.

Cartons of the above type have been in use for a considerable period of time since they are inexpensive and can be made to have good cushioning characteristics so that they are ideally suited for packaging fragile articles such as eggs, incandescent electric light bulbs, etc. Such prior art cartons have had one major drawback; it has not been practicable to readily provide them with a locking device that will operate to the satisfaction of all individuals handling the carton, especially where the carton is to be locked more than once.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel molded pulp carton having an improved locking arrangement.

The above as well as additional advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description of several of its exempliflcations, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a molded pulp carton embodying the present invention, the carton being shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the carton of Fig. 1 taken along the line 22;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view Similar to Fig. 2 showing the carton in closed position;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the carton of. Figshlrand 3, -the carton being shown in partially... closed position;

Fig. 5. is a, sectional.view similar. to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of carton embodying 'thep'resent invention;

and.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a corner portion of the carton of Fig.5.,

7 It has-,been discovered. that a very effective locking carton. is made, from-two matingsections foldably united along,aeemmonmar ineneof the sections having a foldable extension at one of itsother margins to overfold over a portion of the other of said sections, said portion. having a reentrant curvature and the extension having a complementary curvature for fitting into and locking with said portion to lock the carton in closed position, The overfolding extension is preferably positioned on the margin opposite the/hinge that foldably unites the two mating. sections. However, it can alternativelybe positioned on one or 'both of the margins that are-adjacent the. hinge. If desired two or three overfolding sections, can be provided and distributed along all or'any of themargins other than. the hinged margin. Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, there is here shown a.carton,10 for packaging eggsv The carton has two.,main,tray-likefsections 12,14 and an extension 16 connected to section 14. The sections and extension are all generally recta'n'gularin plan view. Section 12 is shaped ,to provide a multiplicity of pockets 18 defined by a row of intermediate posts 20, marginal half-posts 22 and partitions or ribs 24 interconnecting the posts 20 and the half-posts 22 in a rectangular gridwork pattern.

2 At the bottom 26 of each pocket 18, the pocket floor can have upwardly arched cushioning formations or dimples 28- to keep articles in the pockets up away from the plane ofcontact at' the lowest portions of section 12. At the plane of contact the bottom of the carton rests against a support.

The section 12 has tapering side walls 30 into which the half-posts 22 are merged and the tops of which can be outwardly flanged as indicated at B2, 34 and 36, for the respective margins.

Along one of these margins, 36, section 12 is united with section 14 which can. be generally similar in shape to section 12. In "the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, section 14 has the shape of a plain tray with a floor 38 and side walls 40, although if desired it can also be pocketed in a manner similar to section 12. The side walls 40 are also shown as provided with marginal flanges 42, 44 and 46 complementary to the corresponding flanges of section 12. Though not absolutely needed for this purpose, these flanges act as abutment stops for the folding of the two sections together.

The carton construction illustrated has extension 16 on margin 42 of section 14, the section and extension being integrally formed together. As indicated above, the extension can be provided on either or both margins 44, 44, on all three margins 42, 44 and 44, or on margin 42 and one of the margins 44. The extension is shaped generally like a marginal portion of section 12 and is shown as having a width that extends to about the center of the marginal row of pockets. This width is sufficient to reach well into the nearest cushioning dimples 28 of the foldedtogether sections. See Figs. 3 and 4.

Extension 16- is shown as generally of complementary shape with the portion of section 12 that it overlaps. This correspondence need not be perfect so long as both overlapped and overlapping portions have reentrant curvatures. Thus, the extension has half-dimples 48 that closely fit into the dimples 28. By reason of the reentrant nature of dimples 28, the corresponding portion of the extension must be pushed away from its hinged side and somewhat deformed before it can be inserted into the dimples. There will accordingly be frictional resistance to the overlapping of the extension, as the half-dimples are pushed over the corner of section 12 where the floor 26 meets the sidewall 30 opposite the hinge. The overcoming of this resistance provides a sort of over-center toggle action and the folded-over extension cannot be unfolded without again encountering this resistance. The carton is accordingly securely locked when the extension is folded over.

It has also been found that even without the overcenter resistance the carton can be elfectively locked. The carton, as normally made, shows a substantial resilience in the hinging between sections 10 and 12. As a result, when these two sections are folded together, they tend to unfold. This tendency is quite appreciable and serves to lock the extension in place by the dimples after the extension is also folded into overlapping position. In addition to the resilient locking action, the weight of the articles packaged in the carton also urges the two sections 12, 14 apart when the carton is lifted for example, as by gripping it by its flanged periphery. The normal and simplest way to lift the packed carton is to place one hand over its center so that the thumb engages under one side flange, such as 36, while the other four fingers engage under the opposite flange. Only one hand needv be used for lifting in this way, and the lifting causes the weight of the cartons contents to press down on the section 12 and thereby add to the locking action of the nested dimples.

The lockingcan be even further reenforced by making extension 16 somewhat undersize so that it has to be squeezed into place against the overlapped portion of section 12. The squeezing action causes the extension to be wedged into locking position and the frictional effect of the wedging helps keep the extension from inadvertent unfolding.

27, 1949. During the manufacture, the hinges between sections 12, 14 and between section 14 and extension 16 are preferably creased with an appropriately shaped pair of pressing dies, as described in the above-identified patent'application, for example. This will provide ,effective as well asaccurate hingeing into properly folded condition. The particular method of making the carton forms no part of the present invention'however.

' Instead of having section 14 in the shape of what may be called a plain tray, as in the construction of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it can be made of many other shapes. As illustrated in the carton 110 of Figs. 5 and 6 for example, the side walls of this section, here identified as 140, can be ribbed as indicated at 141 for added strength and stiffness. This not only more securely cushions the articles packed in the carton, but it adds to'the resilience with which the sections tend to unfold and thereby lock the extension in 'place.

For best results the ribs 141 are aligned with the halfposts 122 of the pocketed section and can be provided with abutment faces 150 that engage the tops 152 of the half-posts. The ribs 141 can be supplied on any or all of the four side walls 140, although with a carton having two rows of six pockets each it is generally sufi'icient to so strengthen only the long side walls extending the length of the rows, as shown in Fig. 6. 4

Instead of having the locking extension in-the form shown in the figures, it can be made either wider or narrower. Thus by making it wider, it can be shaped'to fit into the partitions 24 that run parallel to the hinges. The engagement with the dimples 28 would then not be needed and in fact all the dimples couldthen be omitted so that the pocket floors are all substantially fiat. The extension can if desired extend to the further row of dimples, or even be of the same width as the section 12.

Alternatively the extension ca'nbe made narrower so that it barely reaches into the dimples 28, or if the cushioning dimples are not used, a special set of locking dimples can be provided at or close to the corner of the pocket floor where it meets the side wall 30 opposite the hinge between the sections. Such special locking dimples can even be provided on the under side of the flange 32 'or the adjacent under faces of the tops of the half-posts .22. On these lower faces the dimples are preferably arranged to protrude downwardly and act as looking projections with corresponding hollows in the overlapping extension.

In use the carton is first held in the position of Fig. 2 and individual articles to be packaged are inserted in the respective pockets 18. Section 14 is then folded over the top of section 12 to cover it (see Fig. 4), following which the locking extension is pushed down into place (Fig. 3). The carton is now locked but is readily opened by unfolding the locking extension and then unfolding the cover. A I

According to a further modification of the present invention, the locking extension can be hingedly connected with the lower or article-supporting section instead of the cover. Such a modified carton can then be locked somewhat more readily without having to push the extension under the carton itself. In this way the carton need not be lifted to effect locking or unlocking. It is desirable in this embodiment of the invention to provi e he q er with re n t c r re, in its. p

. 4 wall for example, for locking engagement by a corresponding portion of the extension.

A feature of the present invention is the fact that not only can the carton be very readily locked and unlocked, but the carton can be locked and unlocked any number of times without significantly impairing the locking device. The locking and unlocking operations do not appear to wear or otherwise damage the locking elements.

Another feature of the invention is the security of the locking. Even after repeated use the locking extension remains still? and resilient so that it firmly locks the carton. This stiffness and resilience is improved by having theextension ribbed or otherwise convoluted aswell as by having it provided with end walls as indicated at 50 in Figs. 1 and 2, even though these end walls are relatively short. Such end walls and ribbing greatly stiffen the extension and enable it to successfully resist deforma tion that would otherwise render it useless. I

It is also preferred thatthe entire carton including the extension be free of such configurations as vertically disposed walls or laterally directed reentrant portions that would make it diflicult or impossible to nest the cartons in open position. This nesting is an important commercial requirement since it cuts down considerably on the space that a plurality of cartons require during shipment.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments hereof except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: r

1. A molded pulp egg carton including a tray-like section having rows of pockets for receiving the eggs, said pockets having outwarmdly concave cushioned floor a substantially flat-bottomed tray-like cover section hinge to and integral with the pocketed section along the length of one side, and a locking flap hinged to the cover section along the length of its opposite side, said sections and locking flap being of substantially the same length and the locking flap being provided with portions shaped to nest in the concave portions of the floors of the pockets in the pocketed. section opposite the cover sectionand being of a width extending from the adjacent edge of the pocketed section to about the center of the marginal row of pockets.

2. An integral molded pulp carton having two mating sections foldably united along a common margin, one of the sections having a foldable extension at one of its other margins to overfold over a portion of the other of said sections, said portion and said extension having locking elements for locking the carton in closed position, the locking element of the foldable extension corresponding in shape to a portion of a row of article-receiving pockets formed in said other section, said pockets including cushioning formations extending up from'the floors of the pockets, and saidfoldable extension includ ing at least a portion corresponding in shape to the cushioning formations. r

3. An integral, molded pulp carton comprising a pair of open-topped sections, each having a bottom wall and a peripheral, upwardly extending side wall, said sections being integrally hinged to each other along mating upper edge portions of their respective peripheral side walls for overfolding one of said sections upon the other section, with the upper edge of the side wall of the overfolding section in abutting relationship with the upper edge of the side wall of said other section, said other section havin an indented bottom wall, and a locking extension integrally hinged to that portion of. the upper edge of said overfolding section which is opposite that por-.

tion of the same edge which is hinged to the side wall of said other section, said extension having an open top, as well as a side wall and a bottom wall, the side wall and bottom wall of said extension substantially corresponding, in size and shape, to the side and bottom walls of said other section, the side and bottom walls of said locking extension being adapted to lockingly embrace the.- correspondingly-shaped side and bottom Walls of said other section when said overfolding section and said other section are in overfolded relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schilling Oct. 13, 1953 

